Giovanni Battista Vico, an Italian author, born in Naples about 1668, died Jan. 20, 1744. He was educated by the Jesuits and studied law, but never practised. For nine years he was tutor in jurisprudence to a nephew of the bishop of Ischia, and afterward for about 40 years professor of rhetoric at Naples. In 1735 he was appointed historiographer to the king. He wrote De Ratione Studiorum (1708), De Antiquissima Italorum Sapientia (1710), and De uno Universi Juris Principio et Fine (1720), all in a manner introductory to his main work, Principii di una scienza nuova d'intorno alla commune natura delle nazioni (1725), which is at once a history of civilization, a natural history of mankind, and a philosophy of law. Vico may be regarded as the founder of the philosophy of history. He places Divine Providence at the basis of all history, and shows its working in language, mythology, religion, law, and government. One of the best editions of his works is by Ferrari (7 vols., Madrid, 1834-'7).